My lifelong friend, Stacy, told me about a peacoat she purchased the other day. She is famous for returning clothes, taking forever to make decisions about what to keep or not. I was ready to hear about the coat's pros and cons and how she was deliberating taking it back. What I was not prepared to hear was this: "I am keeping the coat. Although it will not be practical for all my needs, it will work well for some areas of my life. I should not expect one garment or shoe to do it all."
What a revelation! Once you understand that every garment in your wardrobe does not have to be suitable for every occasion, or go with everything else you have, you do not have to experience shopper's angst. Instead, think about the different areas of your life you spend the most amount of time in, and buy clothing that will fit into one of those areas (as long as it complements what you already have).
For example, I have been coveting a friend's raincoat for a year and a half. Do you hear that, Laurence? Since I know there is little likelihood that it will be mine one day, I focus on its shortcomings and how it is not perfect. I tell myself, "It's not lined so I would get cold," "Navy doesn't go with everything," and "It doesn't have a hood."* But guess what? I found a similar coat which, like Laurence's, is not perfect for every situation. However, it looks great with jeans, provides some protection from the rain (we used to have that in California), and with its subtle metallic sheen, provides a chic note to my outfits.
So stop looking for that unattainable item that will magically work in every part of your life. It's not realistic to expect a garment or accessory to be just right, all the time.
*Ha! When I unearthed a photo of Laurence in her coat, I saw that it does indeed have a hood. It really is wonderful.
The raincoat (top) photo does not do Laurence's (or the coat's for that matter) beauty justice. The second photo is of her with my equally beautiful cousin, Gina.
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